Truncated Sphere Dice

Discussion in 'My Shapeways Order Arrived' started by Magic, Jan 13, 2011.

  1. Magic
    Magic Well-Known Member
    My Truncated Sphere Dices arrived (and quite fast)!
    For those who don't know what they are, you will find more informations in this post.

    I ordered them in Dyed Strong and Flexible and exceptionnally did some post-production on them: I highlighted the numbers with some pencil I used for Christmas cards (white, silver and gold) and added some acrylic gloss varnish.
    In my opinion, the results are quite good (well, perhaps I should have waited a little more for the different coats to dry, but I am a always in a hurry...), and this is something I will do again for sure on my next models.

    So I am glad to introduce the D10 with 4-fold symmetry:
    [​IMG]
    A video of the D10 with 4-fold symmetry is also available.
    Note that this die is currently not available for sale because I want to rework the numbers.

    Then we have the rounded D10 with 5-fold symmetry:
    [​IMG]
    the pointed D10 with 5-fold symmetry:[​IMG]
    and the D12 that was used the created them:
    [​IMG]
    A video showing these two D10s with 5-fold symmetry and the D12 is also available.

    Next come the rounded D10 with a 3-fold symmetry:
    [​IMG]
    and the pointed D10 with a 3-fold symmetry:
    [​IMG]
    and of course the D14 from which they are derived:
    [​IMG]
    I have a video showing these two D10s with a 3-fold symmetry and the D14.

    And finally, here is the inflated cube:
    [​IMG]
    and of course the video of the inflated cube.

    I hope you appreciate them because more truncated dice are probably to come!

     
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2011
  2. Very nice! The shapes are quite pleasing to the eye.

    I have also been pleased with the rapidity of my items' arrival time recently.

    Are you going to test the fairness of the unusually-shaped dice? If the first d10 lands on a face with no marking, how is the result calculated? I would guess that would occur more frequently than not, given the shape of the die.

    Maybe I'm just thinking of those evil mathematical dice you posted around here a little while ago. :D
     
  3. Magic
    Magic Well-Known Member
    Happy that you like them. :)

    There is no evil trick :twisted: on these ones: when the dice stops on a face with no number (facing down), there is always a number facing up: this is the result.
    It is perhaps more obvious on the videos when the dice are on a flat surface.
    So basically the numbers are not always on a face just because the shape of the die is unusual: sometime the landing face has not an opposite face but instead an opposite vertex or an opposite edge. As a consequence the numbers instead of being on faces are on those vertices or edges.

    I will definitively test the fairness, because beside the faces that are with the same area, there is also a portion of the die (the rounded or the pointed surface) that is not really evenly distributed. I have to check if this has an impact.
     
  4. Orangery
    Orangery Member
    I'm glad that you ordered different colours as white (although cheap) can be a bit tiresome.

    The dice are looking great and I would think, highly collectable due to their unique shapes. I quite like the idea of a die with some blank faces as it looks like it won't work properly (but it will work... wonderfully!).

    Have you managed to get the rounded D10 (with 5-fold symmetry) to land on the rounded part when actually rolling the die?

    Nice demonstrations by the way. I have a birthday in March so hope to put an order in then.

    PS I'm still experimenting with the 'football dice' you made.
     
  5. Magic
    Magic Well-Known Member
    I got fantastic pictures from Justin who received the D10 with 3-fold symmetry and the D10 with 4-fold symmetry in Stainless Steel. He inked the numbers so that they are more visible.
    Here are the pictures:

    D10-3f.JPG

    D10-4f.JPG

    I am very jealous since I only got them in Dyed Strong and Flexible... Actually I am sure it is the first time they are printed in Metal and the result is really outstanding.

    Thanks Justin (and obviously thanks Shapeways :))!
     
    Last edited: Mar 4, 2011
  6. Orangery
    Orangery Member
    They both look great and are pretty unique. I'm soon to order (but in white to save money). :)
     
  7. Magic
    Magic Well-Known Member
    No problem Orangery, i am very patient :D .
    And to answer your question:
    - the D10 with 4-fold symmetry is clearly unstable if you put it on the round part, so it will never stop on an unvalid position.
    - the D10 with 5-fold symmetry can keep its balance on the round area but it is very difficult to obtain, so if you roll it, it will never stop on the round face either.
    - for the D10 with 3-fold symmetry, it is easier for it to keep its balance on a rounded area because the numbers are carved there (and so the rounded area is not perfectly round). But once again, when I roll it, it has never stopped in such a position.
    So to conclude, when you actually roll them, they do not stop on the rounded part (or, at least, I never managed to do so :))
     
  8. Magic
    Magic Well-Known Member
    Some new Truncated Spheres Dice arrived.
    The D4 is very interesting since it is easier to read the result than traditional D4 since the number are written on the vertices. Furthermore, its rounded shape make it roll better than a tetrahedron.
    D4.JPG

    The D8 is probably as you could expect it :).
    D8.JPG

    And finally the D14 numbered from 1 to 14. This one is made taking a kind of non uniform cuboctahedron and intersecting it with a sphere.
    D14.JPG
    A version with the weekdays and a version numbered from 1 to 7 twice is also available.

    Only the D14 has an issue with the numbers because some of them are printed on horizontal plans.

     
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2012
  9. Magic
    Magic Well-Known Member
    Some newcomers.
    The D9 Sphere in Red Strong and Flexible:
    D9 Sphere 1.JPG
    the shape is good, but I think the numbering can be enhanced.

    And the D17 Sphere in Alumide:
    D17 Sphere.JPG

    This time, the D11 Sphere could not been printed in Transparent Detail, but it will come (hopefully) with the next batch.
     
  10. Orangery
    Orangery Member
    D17... where did that come from?! You have officially been crowned KING of these dice, :). I like viewing them in 3D (in your shop) as I can understand the shapes better. You seem to know your maths very well (it's way beyond me).

    I think you should display all of your creations on the 'Geometry Junkyard' under the heading, 'polyhedra and polytopes'. http://www.ics.uci.edu/~eppstein/junkyard/polytope.html You will also notice on the first page the nine sided polyhedron.

    I really MUST get a few pictures up of the dice that I coloured in.

    All the best, Dave S. (aka Orangery).







     
  11. Magic
    Magic Well-Known Member
    Ahaha! Thanks Dave.
    D17, strangely, is the natural continuation after D11 and D14:
    - 11=1+3+3+3+1
    - 14=1+4+4+4+1
    - 17=1+5+5+5+1
    So basically, there is one face at each one of the 2 poles of the sphere and as many faces at the two tropics and at the equator.
    Then, indeed, there is some mathematic calculation... :)

    I had a quick look to the page you mentionned and even the D9 has a very special role (that I do not understand, honestly). :)
    But I will try create some webpages to explain some details about those polyhedra...

    I look forward seeing your painting!
     
    Last edited: Apr 13, 2011
  12. Magic
    Magic Well-Known Member
  13. Magic
    Magic Well-Known Member
    Two new Truncated Sphere Dice arrived today.

    The D11 Sphere, quite old, in Alumide:
    D11.JPG
    The Alternative D8, quite recent, in Black Strong and Flexible with the numbers on the bottom face (not my favorite numbering, to be honest):
    D8Alt.JPG

     
  14. Magic
    Magic Well-Known Member
    I decided to order the Truncated Sphere set in metal, more precisely in Antique Bronze Glossy (less expensive than in Stainless Steel for some strange discount reasons).

    Here are some pictures...

    The Truncated Sphere Set itself:
    /openfile/238493/photos/photo40224.jpg

    It is composed of the 7 regular dice that are used by RPG players.

    - the D4 Sphere:
    /openfile/216188/photos/photo40231.jpg
    - the D6 Sphere:
    /openfile/238687/photos/photo40227.jpg
    - the D8 Sphere:
    /openfile/216479/photos/photo40230.jpg
    - the D10 Sphere:
    /openfile/192018/photos/photo40233.jpg
    - the D Percentage Sphere:
    /openfile/238688/photos/photo40228.jpg
    - the D12 Sphere:
    /openfile/192730/photos/photo40232.jpg
    - and finally the D20 Sphere:
    /openfile/238455/photos/photo40226.jpg

    They are not perfect (in particular, there are some lines on 2 opposite faces as if some clamps were used to maintain the part to remove the sprue, on some of them).

    But they are still gorgeous in metal and I do not regret my choice at all.
    They are also very heavy and that makes them feel even more precious.
    Love them... :)

     
    Last edited: May 12, 2011
  15. Magic
    Magic Well-Known Member
  16. Orangery
    Orangery Member
    A really nice set of dice. I think the D4 and D8 are my favourites.

    Have you ever thought about approaching a company that makes dice?

     
  17. mctrivia
    mctrivia Well-Known Member
    are those dice solid? if not how thick are walls?
     
  18. Magic
    Magic Well-Known Member
    @Orangery: Thanks. Personally i like them all :). I did not try to approach a dice manufacturer, and I don't know how to do so. But this could be a good idea. I guess those shapes are easy to mold and the price would be more affordable...


    @Mctrivia: all the Truncated Sphere dice are hollow with a tunnel too small for the support material to escape (that why they are so heavy). The thickness is 1.5 mm and the number depth is 0.75 mm (so the thickness of the metal behind a number is also 0.75 mm) except the D33 Frosted Edition. Moreover, for the Truncated Sphere Dice set, each die is exactly 20 mm high, that why the D6 seems bigger than the D20 for instance.
     
  19. Magic
    Magic Well-Known Member
    Two new Truncated sphere Dice arrived in Alumide (well actually 3, but the third will have its own thread).
    First, the D15 Sphere (all numbers on edges):
    /openfile/250377/photos/photo40612.jpg
    and then, the D18 Sphere (all numbers on the faces):
    /openfile/250323/photos/photo40613.jpg

    Alumide is a nice material for dice. Better than Strong and Flexible I would say, but I have still to try the polished one... I wish the Polished Strong and Flexible could come with the same colors as regular Strong and Flexible...
     
  20. Orangery
    Orangery Member
    I didn't know there was a polished option... must be a new addition.

    The non-polished metal dice look fantastic (bronze or steel). I quite like the irregularities.

    I've lost count of how many dice you have made! New games will have to be invented for them.

    You might find this article interesting... http://loki3.com/poly/unique-dice.html#12d-tetartoid